


Settled In and Looking Outward

by JustAndrea



Series: Draxum and the Fam [4]
Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Baronjitsu if you squint, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Introspection, Mild Language, Post s2 finale, Splinter has mild depression, although they do argue like an old married couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:14:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27927340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAndrea/pseuds/JustAndrea
Summary: “...Hey, alchemist. If I give you more of my DNA, would I get another mutant turtle-baby in return?” Splinter asked, only half-joking.Draxum rolled his eyes. “Even if my lab and its machines weren’t still under a mountain of rubble, I wouldn’t risk getting captured by the Council just for you.”“Heh, that is fair… I am too old to be having any more babies, anyway.”(A fic in which Splinter realizes his kids really are growing up, and a certain sheep-man reminds him that there's still life after fatherhood.)
Relationships: Baron Draxum & Splinter | Lou Jitsu, Splinter & his kids
Series: Draxum and the Fam [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2044981
Comments: 4
Kudos: 45





	Settled In and Looking Outward

**Author's Note:**

> So uh... This started off as one bit of dialogue that randomly popped into my head (see the summary), and it turned into a whole thing. Sooooo, yeahhhh... Lol, anyway, hope you all enjoy! ^v^

Baron Draxum had never had much of a family, or a childhood. Like many ancient yokai who were birthed and evolved from the Empyrean, his existence just... came to be. He’d sometimes interact with other yokai and (on very, VERY rare occurrences) humans, but mostly kept to himself. 

Then of course there was the war against yokai, which he only now knew was because of the Shredder’s destruction and the hatred he brought. Then there were all the subsequent battles, the mass migration underground, and his centuries of research and planning what was sure to be yokai-kind’s salvation. Between all of that, there hadn’t been time for a family or even companionship.

Funny how things change...

Still, despite not having much personal experience with the concept of family, Baron Draxum was no idiot and (he liked to think) not quite as socially inept as some people thought he was. He did know _some_ things about family that were obvious - like how members of a family, specifically the children, often leave after they reach a certain age to go experience the world and eventually form their own families.

And, if the past few weeks were any indication, his turtle creations were beginning to reach that age, as well.

This had been a long time coming, Draxum reasoned. When he met them, the four turtles were already used to spending hours at a time outside of their home. They’d take evenings to play basketball, hang out at O’Neil’s place or Run of the Mill Pizzeria, and occasionally go on patrol or go after a rogue mutant or bad guy.

Discovering the wonders of Hidden City just gave them even more reasons to go out and explore the mystical underground-side of their hometown, which Splinter allowed just as long as they didn’t get themselves arrested (again). 

As such, the boys, April and eventually CJ soon became just as comfortable underground as they were above, and once the Shredder defeated for good and it became apparent that Big Mama wasn’t coming after them for revenge, the teens suddenly all the time in the world to experience both sides of their city for all they were worth.

Of course, given that he still lived outside of the Lair, Draxum only heard about all of this through Michelangelo and occasionally one of his other creations whenever they felt like sharing tales of their adventures with him or needed to use him for information or directions.

And, sometime between Raph turning seventeen and April completing her first year of college, Draxum got to hear all about the group’s plans for an “epic road trip” where they would alternate between the surface and the mystic underground, having fun and visiting landmarks in both realms as they traveled around for at least two weeks, perhaps even longer.

Naturally, before they left, Mikey just had one request for his creator: “Just check in on Pops while we’re gone, okay? Of course we’re gonna call him and text when we can but, well... Just check in on him, okay? Pleaaaase?”

Draxum sighed at the memory. It had been four days since the group had left, and as such four days since he had agreed to that. He was only just now making his way down into the sewers of NYC. 

It was somewhat bothersome for him to make time for this certain request, given that he still had a job he cared about and work that he needed to do most days (even if a summer lunch program wasn’t quite as laborious as the regular one that was held while classes were in session) as well as scheduled calls and visits with his fellow lunch servers/companions throughout the district.

Still, he had made a promise to his youngest, and as much of a pain the old rat could be at times, Draxum could acknowledge Splinter as both the father of his creations and as a friend who he did care about (even if a part of him was still stubborn about saying so out loud). 

So, pushing through the slight ache in his hooves and the disgusting sewer smell, Draxum continued heading towards the Hamato-Jitsu home. When he entered, he couldn’t really call it unnerving since their ‘sewer hovel’ always felt fairly comfortable and lived in, but it was a bit strange seeing it so... empty.

Not even bothering to check the other rooms first, he made his way up to the second level and went into the TV room. Sure enough, some commercial was being projected on the fabric screen.

Peering over the chair, Draxum could see Splinter snoozing away without a care in the world. He scoffed at the sight. “Honestly, rat,” he muttered, “I know you like to nap, but you really couldn’t think of _anything_ constructive to do?”

Splinter simply snored back at him as a reply, whiskers twitching.

Draxum scoffed again, annoyed that it now felt like he had made his trip for nothing. A part of him was tempted to leave just for that. Still, if nothing else, he could enjoy a snack while he was there. 

So, he made his way to the kitchen and helped himself a small bowl of potato chips, and snagged the remote out of Splinter’s loose grip on his way back. Once he was settled in a beanbag, Draxum changed the channel to a rerun of some reality show that was entertaining enough despite still being mindless.

It took about twenty minutes for Splinter to start to stir. Lifting his head up, he blinked sleepily as he glanced over towards the screen and then at the sheep-man.

“Ah... That’s why it is a different channel,” he stated before yawning. For a moment, it looked like Splinter was about to go back to sleep. Thankfully, after just a bit more shut-eye and a bit of stretching, he was sitting up and half-awake. “When did you get here, anyway?”

“Around two,” Draxum answered, “Almost half an hour ago.”

“Ah...” Sighing a little, the rat-man pushed himself out of his chair. He swayed a little, holding on to the arm of the recliner for support as he grabbed his cane. “Do not take my chair while I am gone, not unless you want me to hot soup you through a wall.”

Draxum smirked. “Are you sure that’s a threat you can keep, Lou Jitsu?”

He had to lean away a bit when Splinter’s tail suddenly whipped out at him, just barely managing to avoid getting hit. “Do _not_ tempt me, alchemist,” Splinter warned before hobbling away. 

Draxum huffed, but stayed in his beanbag as he pointed his focus back at the manufactured ‘reality’ drama. It took about ten minutes for Splinter to return - by that point, his joints had loosened up enough that he was just carrying his cane instead of actually using it. In his other hand was a cup of tea, and tucked into his arm was a packaged sandwich.

His guest noted all of this. Stiff joints, a late lunch that he couldn’t even bother making himself... “How long were you asleep?” Draxum suddenly asked.

“What is it to you?” Splinter retorted, though it didn’t have much of a bite to it. Getting back into his chair, he set down his refreshments and picked up his phone. After a second or two, his ears folded down in annoyance. “Damn it...” With a grunt, he got back out of the recliner and went to go plug his cheap flip phone into the nearest charger.

Again, Draxum noted this, raising an eyebrow. “What, did the boys’ barrage of messages drain your battery?”

“No, no. I just forgot to charge the stupid thing last night,” Splinter waved him off.

“I take it you’ve been sleeping in your chair all night and day?”

“That depends. If I answer, will you judge me for it?”

“No, I just figured Michelangelo would want to know.” 

Splinter’s ears flattened even more at that as he rubbed his eyes. He wanted to be offended at the implication, but he could never stay mad at his youngest (or his good heart) for very long. “I do not need a babysitter.”

“But apparently you _do_ need someone to help you remember that you have an actual bed you can use,” Draxum replied matter-of-factly.

“Shut up. My chair is much comfier than my bed anyway.” As if to demonstrate this, Splinter hopped back into his chair, sighing as he reclined all the way back in it. 

“And it is not as if I sleep for twelve hours in a row or anything like that. I just wake up and... decide not to get up and end up falling asleep again,” he trailed off. Grabbing his tea, he took a long sip, his ears still flat despite the pleasant taste and comforting nature of his drink.

Draxum said nothing, staring at the rat-man for only a few moments more before turning his attention back to his show. Occasionally, one of them would make a comment, and Splinter’s sips or chews would sometimes make enough noise to be noticeable. But otherwise, it was complete silence between them.

As it started getting later and Draxum’s stomach began wanting more than just potato chips, he decided to take a page out of Mikey’s book. He stood up, and then looked at Splinter. “Get up.”

Splinter stared at him. He was used to the sheep-man being blunt, but he was still a bit confused. “Why?”

“Because it’s nearly suppertime, and considering this isn’t even my home, I refuse to be the only one cooking,” Draxum replied firmly, crossing his arms, “So you’re helping me. Now get up.”

Splinter hummed. He was admittedly fairly hungry - the sandwich he had earlier was the only thing he’d eaten in a while, if only because he had remembered to actually grab something while he was in the kitchen. “...Fine, but I pick what we cook.”

“Fine,” Draxum nodded, “just as long as it’s not soup.”

“What, you have something against soup?”

“It’s summer! Who wants to eat hot soup when it’s already hot out?”

Splinter scoffed, mildly offended by that. “Clearly you underestimate the deliciousness of soup - the _perfect dish_ for any weather!”

The sheep-man nearly rolled his eyes at that. “I disagree.”

“Tc’ch, what else is new?”

All of their bickering and banter aside, Splinter didn’t push for soup (even though they had nearly all of the ingredients for a PERFECT Oyakodon bowl, _thanks a lot, Draxum..._ ) 

Instead, they decided on baked chicken, with roasted carrots and homemade fries (something Draxum had become a master at making, given how often it was on the school lunch menu) as their sides. Splinter also decided to use up the last of their bread before it went stale, sprinkling some cheese on it before nearly burning it to a crisp.

It wasn’t the most coherent meal, but it was decent enough. Even Draxum couldn’t find much to complain about, allowing their shared meal to remain peaceful. As a sort of thank you, he offered Draxum one of the boys’ popsicles in the freezer for his dessert, helping himself to one as well.

“Just make sure you eat it fast, otherwise it will be all over your hands before you even get home,” he warned.

“Oh, so you’re kicking me out already?” Draxum countered as he took the frozen treat.

“Like I said, Draxum, I don’t need a babysitter.” With that, Splinter headed back towards the TV room, leaving Draxum all alone and hoping that the sheep-man would take the hint.

Sure, Splinter could admit to himself as he settled back in, that Draxum’s visit hadn’t been too unwelcomed. At the very least, he appreciated the help with supper, and now that he had eaten and stretched some, he wouldn’t have to really worry about it for a while. 

Which was good because, as he flipped the TV back to his favorite game show channel, Splinter could feel a subtle fatigue start to seep back into him even as he tried to focus on eating his dessert...

...That is, until his phone rang, and suddenly he felt like he had drunk three whole cups of that fancy coffee Purple liked so much.

Remote and popsicle now abandoned, Splinter scrambled out of his chair and over to his phone, which was now about 75% charged. He now had another reason to be thankful for Draxum visiting when he did. “Hello?” he answered, not even bothering to look at the caller ID, figuring it was either Red or Orange.

_“Hello? Hey Pop, can you hear us alright?”_

Ah, Red then. “Yes, my son, I can hear you just fine,” Splinter smiled, “Can you hear me?”

_“Yep! Loud and clear! Hey, guys! Come talk to Dad!”_

_“Oh! Me first!”_

_“What?! Come ON, Leo, you talked to him first last time, it’s my-”_

_“I WILL BE SPEAKING TO JITSU-SENSEI FIRST!!”_

_“Well I’m pretty sure Splints isn’t gonna want to spend the whole call listening to us argue, so-”_

_“Aaaand- Yoink!”_

_“LEO!”_

_“What? You guys were taking forEVER! Hey, Dad, can you hear me?”_

_“Dude, Raph_ **_just said_ ** _that he could.”_

_“Ah, cool. Okay so, Dad, you will NOT believe what happened today-”_

For the next twenty minutes or so, it was one voice after another, his sons plus April and Casey eager to tell him all about what they had been up to since their last check-in, often talking over each other in the process. When he finally got a chance to speak, Splinter just chuckled, shaking his head. “It certainly sounds like you all are having fun.”

 _“Yeah, it’s been a blast,”_ Raph replied, _“Though, we should probably try to go to sleep soon. Got another big day tomorrow, and Donnie says that we’re gonna have to start driving early if we wanna have enough time at the next stop to actually enjoy it.”_

“Ah… Well, get plenty of rest then. And text me when you get there, okay?”

“Yeah, sure thing, Pops. Love you.” In the background, he heard the rest of his kids give him their love as well.

Splinter chuckled again, even if his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. He waited for Raph to hang up first before shutting his phone, leaving it to finish charging as he turned to walk back over to-

Draxum met his eyes, his legs crossed as he sat in the old brown chair. Splinter stared at him, his left ear twitching a bit in agitation. Draxum stared back.

“Draxum…”

“Yes?” the alchemist asked, tilting his head ever so slightly.

 _“Out.”_

Draxum just blinked, not moving a muscle. 

Splinter’s ear twitched again. “I am not going to let you sit in MY chair, Draxum,” he grumbled, “I have warned you before. So get out of it. _Now._ ” 

He left the ‘before I make you’ part unsaid, but Draxum seemed to hear it regardless. With that damn cocky smirk of his, the sheep-man just leaned back in the chair. “You and what army, rat?”

“...” Splinter took a deep breath in, and then out. He cracked his knuckles, and in response, Draxum simply closed his fists as he prepared for his opponent’s first move. “...Alright, I guess we’re doing this.” 

Five minutes later, Draxum was out of the chair and Splinter’s smile had returned to his face.

While it wasn’t exactly an unexpected outcome, Draxum still shot Splinter a glare as he returned to the lowly beanbag. “Not that I really mind beating you up too much,” he heard Splinter say, “But I kind of thought we were past the whole ‘wanting to fight each other’ thing, so unless you just felt like being an ass-”

“Actually, I was thinking you were a bit too comfortable around here,” Draxum shot back, “and figured you could use a challenge.”

Splinter raised an eyebrow. “Is that just your way of saying I am being lazy?”

“Your words, not mine.”

“Ugh…” Whatever, he already kicked Draxum’s butt once that night over something dumb, he didn’t feel like doing it again. 

But while the fight was clearly over, the alchemist still stayed, as if he were waiting for something else to happen. Feeling his aggravation start to rise again, Splinter asked, “Is there anything else I can help you with, or do you need me to literally throw you out?”

“You tell me,” Draxum stated. Funnily enough, he didn’t glare back as he said this, which made Splinter’s own expression soften a little, if only out of surprise. 

Draxum glanced back over to where Splinter’s phone sat. “...You seemed to enjoy that call.” Of course, that was an understatement - not even Splinter’s best and most glory-filled Nexus battles had ever made him smile that brightly. But then again, he figured, this was to be expected from someone like Splinter.

“Of course I enjoyed it, why wouldn’t I?” Splinter replied, “Especially since they only usually call once a day, if that… Last time they called, it was a bad service area and we barely got to talk so, at least we were able to make up for it this time…”

Splinter gave a hollow laugh. “Always have to check in and make sure they are not getting in _too_ much trouble, you know?” Draxum said nothing, leaving plenty of space for Splinter to let out a long sigh. Still, he appreciated that Draxum didn’t state the obvious.

Instead, he said, “This is all your fault. You realize that, right? Had you instilled some actual discipline in those boys of ours, maybe this place wouldn’t seem so quiet without them.”

“Heh… When they were small, I used to dream of eventually getting days like this,” Splinter said, his gaze looking far past whatever was playing on the fabric screen, “Those little rugrats used to wake me up every single night. If they weren’t crying, then they were hungry. And if they were not hungry, then they just couldn’t sleep and wanted me to stay up with them. And that was just at night! I’m sure you can imagine the kind of mischief they would get into during the day.”

As he continued thinking back to those lost days of toddlerhood - of being able to hold all four of his sons in his arms and all the silly games he would play with them whenever they wanted attention - feelings of nostalgia turned all the more bittersweet.

“Seems like only yesterday I was making sure Purple did not accidentally set his desk on fire, or trying to keep Blue and Orange from sneaking out, or chasing Red down for bath time, and now… Now they are off on their own, more independent than I have ever seen them, having a chance to actually enjoy the world they saved and being able to use that chance to its fullest.” 

It was both gratifying and devastating all at once, knowing that his boys didn’t really need him anymore. Splinter pinched the bridge of his nose. “God, is this what it is going to be like when they decide to move out?” Just him all alone in an empty home, waiting for the next phone call or visit? “...Hey, alchemist. If I give you more of my DNA, would I get another mutant turtle-baby in return?” he asked, only half-joking.

Draxum rolled his eyes. “Even if my lab and its machines weren’t still under a mountain of rubble, I wouldn’t risk getting captured by the Council just for you.”

“Heh, that is fair… I am too old to be having any more babies, anyway.” At this point, the best he could really hope for was a grandchild - and considering that April was the only one with a significant other, thanks to her relationship with Sunita, that hope wasn’t exactly a guarantee.

A disapproving hum brought him back to the present. “Well, I guess I can sympathize with you somewhat, even if it’s mostly out of pity,” Draxum stated.

Splinter’s ears flattened again. “Gee, how thoughtful.”

“Well, maybe I would be a bit more respectful if you weren’t once again wasting your potential, Lou Jitsu,” Draxum argued, crossing his arms.

“Oh really, now? Let me guess, you think I should start up the Battle Nexus again and reclaim my place as the ‘world’s greatest warrior’?” Splinter asked (complete with air-quotes).

“Frankly, I wouldn’t care WHAT you did,” Draxum shot back, his tone a bit more daring now, “You could even do that silly acting of yours if you wanted.” 

Scowling now, Splinter nearly yelled at him for that, but Draxum cut him off before he could. “Frankly, _anything_ would be better than you just wallowing in your home and watching the ‘tee-vee’ box - and I should know.”

“Oh do you now?” Splinter challenged back.

“ _Yes._ Believe it or not, I do have some experience with not knowing what to do after it feels like you no longer have a purpose, especially after being focused on a single goal for so long. How that can feel, and how sustainable it can be to find a new purpose…” Draxum’s eyes then narrowed slightly. “Besides, if you allow your sons to go out all the time and do whatever ridiculous thing they want, then why not grant that same ability to yourself?”

Splinter was silent at that, thinking over the words he had just heard as he remembered a time that almost seemed like a lifetime ago, along with all of the little moments and discoveries and relationships on the surface that had brought Draxum to where he was now. “...What, are you asking me to be your co-chef at the school?” he finally asked, a small smirk pulling at his face.

“HA! Absolutely not!” Draxum shot back, smirking a little as well, “I already have my hands full with having Sloppy Joseph in my kitchen. Besides that, I actually prefer when we’re not at each other’s throats - something that I’m sure would happen if we were forced to work together for longer than thirty minutes.”

“True, true… Still, maybe getting some sort of job is not a bad idea.” Or a hobby, or a daily activity, or _something_ that wasn’t just watching game shows and reliving his old movies that even he was starting to get sick of at this point. Maybe he could even find a few friends to chat with over tea and hanafuda, or possibly find some romance-

A familiar memory pushed its way to the front of his mind, and he quickly shook his head as he tried to forget the bright red eyes of his ex. Okay, maybe that last one could wait a while longer… Still, that led to another thought. “Say, do yokai have therapists in the Hidden City?”

Draxum gave him a bit of a look for that. “Of course we do. We have doctors of all kinds, spiritual healers, acupuncturists, medical herbalists and pharmacists - why wouldn’t we have therapists?”

“Hey, I was just asking. In any case, maybe you can give me their address or something… I’m sure going to a session or two couldn’t hurt.” He certainly had a lot to talk about. “Maybe I could also find a tea shop or cafe to go to afterwards, or maybe re-visit some of my favorite spots,” Splinter added, “Just as a start, you know?”

The sheep-man hummed. “I suppose it’s something, at least. Better than the alternative. I’m sure you don’t need me telling you that the turtles wouldn’t want you sitting here feeling sorry for yourself while they’re out living their lives, and… neither do I.” And he really did mean that. “Like I said, you should get the same freedom we have.”

Splinter smiled a little at that. “It is not really a matter of freedom or whether or not I have it. More like breaking myself out of a routine, or perhaps a mindset… Still, I guess I appreciate the encouragement. I can’t really see myself doing any traveling, though.” 

His boys still lived at home, even if they were mostly independent, so he wasn’t about to up and leave them just yet, and frankly he had already seen more than enough of the world (both realms of it) during his Lou Jitsu days. “Still… a few hours outside of the house each day does sound nice,” he admitted. Roughly fifteen years was a long time to stick to a routine, after all. But perhaps breaking out of it, even slightly, was the right way to go.

Though, speaking of said routine- A familiar jingle brought Splinter’s attention back to the TV. Scorpion Treadmill was starting up the first episode of their nightly block, just like every other night... Splinter hummed. “You know what? I think that is enough TV today.”

Picking up the remote with his tail, Splinter turned off the TV. “...Come on, we’re doing some karaoke. ...You know what karaoke is, right?”

Draxum blinked. “Karey… okey?” he repeated.

“I’ll take that as a no… Well, no time like the present - especially since the boys aren’t here to complain about my singing. Now come on!” the rat-man insisted.

“Don’t I get a say in this?”

“Hey, you have been pushing me around ever since you got here, and the one who wanted me to get off my furry butt and do something! Besides, today is-” Splinter stopped, taking a moment to think back and count the days. “It’s Friday, right? So it is not like you have a shift tomorrow, and what else do you have to do tonight?”

“Er, well, I… Oh alright,” Draxum huffed as he moved to stand up, “But if I hate it, you can’t stop me from leaving!”

“Deal,” Splinter smirked as he led the way to where he kept his old karaoke machine, “Although I think you seem like the type that would enjoy it, once you get into it.”

“Hmph, I highly doubt that.”

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

It was about 8 a.m. when the early risers of their group began to stir. Mikey had already re-lit their campfire and was getting started on breakfast while Raph and Casey both enjoyed an early morning workout. As for the others, Donnie was taking the time to scroll through his social media and news feeds while April and Leo were just trying to wake themselves up.

“...How the shell do they have this much energy this early?” Leo mumbled in-between sips of cheap powdered coffee as he watched his oldest brother and their enemy-turned-friend spar, the two of them not missing a beat.

“No idea,” April sighed, her glasses still missing from her face, “Frankly, I’m just trying to remember why we’re waking up early when we’re supposed to be on vacation.”

“Hey, you all were all the ones who wanted to see both Montauk and the merfolk village underneath it on the same day. Don’t shoot the schedule holder.” Closing out of an app, Donnie flashed his twin a particularly flat look. “And considering you were the one who _planned out_ the schedule, Leon, it seems especially hypocritical coming from you.”

Leo sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, well… It didn’t seem that early when I was planning it, and hey, you guys could’ve vetoed me,” he weakly argued.

As the softshell prepared a retort, he was cut off by the youngest member of their group letting out a loud laugh. “...Geez Mike, it’s not that funny,” Leo said.

“Huh? Oh, no, I’m not laughin’ at that,” Mikey told them, “I was just getting out my phone while I waited for the rice and eggs and, heh, check out this pic Pops sent us last night.” Curious, the three of them went over to Mikey, who quickly held up his phone. 

Even with the poor photo quality (courtesy of their dad’s old flip phone that he refused to let Donnie upgrade), it was still easy enough to tell that the picture was of Draxum, singing into a microphone and looking VERY passionate about the song he was singing. As far as they could see, the sheep-man didn’t even notice the camera being pointed at him while Splinter (or rather, as much of him that could fit in the frame) just smiled into the tiny lens as he took the shot.

“...Okay, yeah, that is VERY funny,” Leo said as the other three snickered.

“Heh, who would’ve guessed Barry could sing?” April said, “Or that he even liked to sing?”

“Well, knowing Dad, he probably made him sing. Althoughhhh, that smile he has seems anything BUT reluctant,” Donnie pointed out with a grin.

“Hey Raph! CJ! You guys gotta see this!” Leo shouted over his shoulder, waving them over. 

During this, Mikey took a moment to save the photo to his phone, though silently promised that when they all finally got back home, he wouldn’t let his sibs poke TOO much fun at Draxum’s little concert. Of course, he’d still bring it up - he still had to thank his other father for keeping his promise, after all, and he definitely wanted to show his appreciation for that.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Still chuckling to himself, Splinter set his phone back on the bedside table, right beside the small To-Do List he had written up (calling it a “Bucket List” just seemed like he was tempting fate, given how many unfortunate twists had happened in his life) and laid back down, staring up at the ceiling in his bedroom. He was sure his kids would get a kick out of that little candid photo in the morning. 

As for Draxum, well - according to the occasional snore he heard from down the hall, he was still sleeping off the extended karaoke session and would be for a while. He could deal with the sheep-man’s ire later. But as for right now, Splinter decided to simply lay in his bed and wait for sleep to claim him as well. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done.

Each time he tried to close his eyes, his ear would give a hard enough twitch to wake him back up, making him think that he heard someone or something. Not an unreasonable thought by any means - he was just too used to hearing the noises and voices of his boys as he tried to nap, not to mention all of the times back when one of his young sons would cry out in the middle of the night or would try sneaking into his room, wanting to sleep with him in his bed. 

He knew he would eventually drift off to dreamland, but he was sure it would still take a bit longer for him to do so. “Ah well… seems the old saying is true,” Splinter mumbled. A ninja never lets his guard down, and that went double for a father.

He knew he would always be a father too, no matter how old his kids were. He would always be Splinter - always be “Pops” or “Dad” or “Daddy” - just as he had always been and always would be Hamato Yoshi and Lou Jitsu, and of course, he was just fine with that.

But now… Now it was more obvious to him than ever that being Dad was no longer a full-time job, and it was time to find a new role in life - a new purpose, and a new identity that could live alongside his others. It was fairly intimidating, yet at the same time exciting - just like the first time he had set off on his own, and just like the day he had met his sons.

Splinter smiled to himself. He always did have a hard time running from a challenge, especially when it mattered…

The old pipes above him creaked a bit, a familiar-enough sound that it didn’t disturb the peaceful yet empty atmosphere within his home. Regardless of everything else he had realized that day, he still really couldn’t wait for his kids to get home…

No matter how few and far between those moments came, Splinter swore to himself that he would always make his way back to his old recliner to welcome them home and help them whenever they needed him to do so. But until then, he was going to try and embrace this newest chapter of his life as much as he could.

After all, it wasn’t often a ninja was able to enjoy times of peace, and it was every parent’s goal to see their kids eventually grow up happy and healthy. Now that he was lucky enough to have both in his life, Splinter was going to do all he could to enjoy every last bit of it, no matter what.

(And hey, if he happened to sometimes drag a certain sheepman into enjoying it with him, if only for his own amusement and to have some semi-pleasant-but-still-understanding company, well… maybe that didn’t sound half-bad either.)

**THE END**


End file.
